Oil burner



C. A. REIF OIL BURNER March 24, 1936.

Filed May e, 1955 2 sheets-sheet? l l' 74 4Z Patented Mar. 24, 1936 on. B

charles A. ma, maar, N.- Y., assigner to Reif- Rexoil, Inc., BufialmvN. Y.,la corporation of New York Application May 6, 1935, Serial No. 20,011

1 Claim. (Cl. 158-76) invention relates to an oil burner of the type Fin which oil is delivered into a mixing tube and astream of air is moved spirally through the tube so as to form a combustible mixture which burns as a flame at the outlet of the tube and thus furnishes heat which may be utilized for various purposes.

In the burners of this character as heretofore constructed the means which produced the whirling or gyrating action of the air was such that an undue obstruction in the path of the air existed which interfered with obtaining the best possible mixture of the oil and air, andthus prevented attaining the maximum efficiency from the amount of oil consumed.

It is therefore the object-of this invention to provide an oil burner with improved means for imparting a whirling action to the air and still permit a comparatively free or unobstructed flow of air through the mixing tube and thereby permit of properly burning a greater quantity of oil and generating more heat with a given size burner than has been possible by the use of oil burners as heretofore constructed.

To that end this invention consists generally in providing the interior of the mixing tube between its air inlet and its combustible mixture outlet with inclined helical deflections which are formed integrally with the mixing tubebetween -the front and rear parts thereof and cause the air to whirl without obstructing its movement. In ythe accompanying drawings: Figure 1 isY a side elevation of an oil burner embodying my improvements used for heating water in a boiler.

Figure 2 is a top plan view f the same. Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal section of the burner, on an enlarged scale, taken on line 3 3 Fig. 2. f f

Figure 4 is a horizontal section, on an enlarged scale, taken on line 5 4 Fig. 1.

Figure 5 is a front elevation of the burner on the same scale as Figs-3 and 4.

Figure 6 is a vertical cross section on an enlarged scale, taken on line 6-6 Fig. 3.

Figure 7 is a sectional perspective view of the mixing tube showing the same broken apart on a vertical plane extendinglengthwise of the axis thereof.

Figure 8 is a vertical section taken on line 8 8-v Fig. 7, looking forwardly.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary perspective view of the mixing tube from the front end thereof.

In the following. description similar characters other suitable metal or material.

of reference indicate like parts in the several figures of the drawings: l

Although this oil burner is capable of use in various kinds of installations requiring heating, the same in the present case, as an example of 5 one of its uses, is shown in connection with awater heater or boiler l0 which is provided in its lower part with a combustion chamber ii, the lower part of which is provided with arefractory lining l2. The side wall of this chamber and the lining 10 therein are provided with a horizontal opening i3 for the purpose of receiving the oil burner which embodies my invention and which is constructed as follows:

In its general organization this oil burner com- 15 prises an air tube through which air ior supporting combustion is conducted to the interior of the combustion chamber of the. boiler, a blower or fan whereby theair is supplied to this-tube under pressure, means for imparting a whirling go or helical movement to the air as it passes forwardly through the air tube, means for delivering fuel oil in the form oi vapor' into the iront or delivery end of the air tube, a mixing head mounted on the front end of the air tube and 25 adapted to mix the air and oil vapor or spray, preparatory to igniting the same and causing the mixture to burn in the form oi a ball-shaped ame within the combustion chamber, and electric ignition means arranged in the front part of the air tube for causing the combustible mixture of air and oil to be ignited.

The -air tube is preferably arranged horizontally and made of metal so as to provide a front part I6 which isy round or cylindrical in cross 35 section anda, rear part iii which is preferably square in cross section. This air tube is preferably made of cast iron or steel, although the same may be constructed of sheet iron or steel or any 4 The front part It of this air tube is arranged in the burner opening i3 ofthe boiler and tted therein suiiiciently tight to prevent leakage in the joint'between the same. and at its inner or front end this airtube opens into the combustion 45 chamber of the boiler. The rear or outer end of the air tube is closed by means of a head it.' the marginal part of which is preferably detach-A ablysecured to the air tube by means of screws Il or otherwise, while the central part-thereof 50I isr dished inwardly, as shown at it.

'I 'he outer part of the 'air tube is preferably supported so as to maintain the same inthe proper position and for accomplishing this purpose it is preferable to employ a pedestal o" standard con- 56 with the underside of the outer part I of the air tube, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The connection between this leg and the air tube is preferably effected on the flat horizontal underside of the outer part of the air tube by means of a horizontal flange 2| welded on the upper end of the leg 20 and screws 22 connecting this flange with lugs on the .flat underside of the outer part of the air tube, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

Air is admitted into the air tute through an inlet opening 23 in the upper horizontal flat side of the outer or rear part thereof.- This air may be supplied under pressure by any suitable means but preferably by a blower or fan which includes a housing 24 mounted on the upper side of the rear part of the air tube and detachably connected therewith by means of screws 25 or other suitable means, and having an air outlet 26 on its underside which communicates with the air inlet 23 of the air tube, and also having a screen protected air inlet 21 on one side of its eye, a rotor or impeller 28 arranged within the fan case and provided with aplurality of fan blades 29 which are arranged in an annular row on its periphery, a driving shaft 30 carrying said air impeller, and an electric motor 3| operatively connected with said shaft for turning the impeller.

Arranged axially within the front part of the air tube acacent to the front end thereof is an oil vaporizer or sprayer 32 of any suitable construction which is mounted on the front inner end of a pipe 33 forming the internal section of a conduit whereby oil is supplied to the nozzle 32.

'Ihe rear or outer end of this oil conduit section 33 is connected by means of a nipple 34 with a pipe, 35 forming part of the oil supply conduit on the exterior of the air tube, which nipple is mounted centrally in the dished part I8 of the head at the outer end of the air tube.

Within the front part of the air tube at a point about midway of its length is arranged a bracket 36 which engages with the interior of the air tube and is connected with the adjacent part of the oil feed or supply pipe 33 for the purpose of supporting the same and the delivery nozzle -32 in a central position within the air tube.

Arranged lengthwise within the upper part of the air tube are two electrodes 31 which terminateat their front ends adjacent to the front or outlet end of the nozzle 32 but are spaced from each other and from this nozzle so that an electric spark formed between the ends of the electro des will cause the oil vapor issuing from the nozzle 32 tobe ignited. In rear of their front ends sleeves 38 of any suitable material which are mounted on the adjacent parts of the bracket 3S, and at their rear ends these electrodes are connected by means of flexible conductors 39 which extend through one of the vertical sides of the rear part of the air tube, with any suitable source of electricity for producing a spark across the front endsgof the electrodes,

At its front end the air tube is provided with a.

vmixinghead consisting preferably of a forwardly tapering ring 40 secured to the front end of the air tube and provided internally with a plurality of spiral vanes or ribs 4| which are arranged in an annular row therein, whereby the-air passing through the air tube and the vapor or spray of oil issuing from the nozzle 32 are turned or whirled about the axis of the air tube and oil nozzle and caused to mix and burn in the form of a flame which projects from the inner end of the mixing head int'o the combustion chamber of the boiler.

In the oil burners as heretofore constructed, air was inadequately agitated when supplied to the oil vapor and imperfectly mixed with the vapor and therefore failed to secure the maximum heating'effect from the oil fuel which was used.

In order to secure a better distribution of oil vapor throughout the air for obtaining a greater heating effect, it is necessary to impart a whirling, gyrating, spiral or rotating action to the air in a direction lengthwise of the air tube and helically thereto from the inlet toward the outlet end thereof, and in the same direction as the trend of the vanes or ribs 4| of the mixing head, so that thisair when passing the nozzle 32, will form a. complete annular jacket or wall of air around the nozzle and cause all particles of the conical shaped spray of vapor issuing from the nozzle to impinge against a cushion of whirling air, whereby every particle of vapor will become intimately mixed with air and enveloped by the same and thus put the mixture in the most highly combustible condition and cause the same, when projected from the mixing head into the combustion chamber, to burn as a flame in the latter which will yield the maximum heating effect.

The means Vfor accomplishing this purpose in accordance with my invention consist of a plurality of inclined air deflecting, directing or turning surfaces 42 which are arranged in an annular row on the interior of the air tube between the front round part |4 and the rear angular part |5 thereof. These turning faces trend helically in the same directionvas the spiral vanes 4| of the y mixing head, and each of these turning faces begins at its rear end from one of the flat sides of the rear part of the air tube and extends forwardly into the round cylindrical front part I4 thereof, whereby each of these turning faces is of substantially triangular and forwardly tapering shape, as shown in Figs. 3, 4 and '7.

Due to this formation of these turning facesA and the location of the same at the junction between the square rear part and the cylindrical omy in manufacture is effected inasmuch as no these electrodes are vsurrounded by insulating extra parts are required for accomplishing this purpose.

Moreover, these turning surfaces do not form any obstruction in the path of the stream of air, but merely engage with the peripheral part of this stream for causing the same to be deected or twisted so that as itcontinues its forward spiral' or helical course the air is supplied to the vapor in a more turbulent condition than is possible in a construction in which a substantial interference with the ow of air is encountered'as it passes forwardly through the air tube.

Owing to the possibility of Amore intimately mixing the oil vapor and air, preparatory to igniting and -burning the same in the form of a flame within the combustion chamber, a considerable economy in the operation of this burner is effected compared with burners of a similar type.

inasmuch as a greater heating capacity is obtained by the consumption of a certain amount of fuel oil, and it is possible to use a smaller size of burner for obtaining a certain amount of heat than has been possible heretofore.

The integral formation of the turning inclines or surfaces is particularly desirable in an air tube at the junction of its rectangular or square rear part and its circular or round front part, inasmuch as this permits of retaining the at external surfaces on the rear part of the air tube which can be readily machined for attaching other parts of the apparatus thereto, and also retaining the cylindrical form on the front part of this air tube which contributes to securing a more effective whirling action of the air and a more intimate mixture of the same with the oil vapor, whereby a more complete combustion of the mixture is obtained.

By thoroughly intimately mixing the air with the oil vapor less air is used in proportion to the amount of oil in the mixture, thereby insuring a clean re and virtually eliminating the formation of smoke and soot.

Aside from these advantages this invention materially simplies the construction of the burner and not only reduces the cost of manufacture but also renders the interior of the same more easilyy accessible for inspection, adjustment and repairs, thus rendering the burner as a whole much more "desirable than those of a similar character heretofore known.-

I claim as my invention:

An oil burner including an air tube through which a.. stream of air is adapted to pass from the rear to the front end thereof, and having a front part which is round inr cross section and a rear part which is square in cross section and which has an air inlet in its rear part and an outlet for a. combustible mixture of oil and air in its front part, and an oil spray nozzle in the front part of said tube, said tube being formed with a plurality of air delecting surfaces formed integrally and helically'in an annular row on the inner side of said tube at the junction of its square rear part and its round front part, and adapted to be engaged by the air flowing forwardly through said tube and causing the same to whirl the air preparatory to reaching the oil spray nozzle.

v CHARLESA. REIF. 

